PlayStation and Kojima Productions Partner

By Rory Young 16 December 2015

Hideo Kojima’s newly reborn studio, Kojima Productions, is partnering with Sony to release its first independent game as a console exclusive to the PlayStation 4.

Wasting no time whatsoever, Sony has officially announced that they’ve formed an agreement with the newly founded Kojima Productions studio. Hideo Kojima’s employment contract with Konami officially ended just earlier today, meaning this agreement went from rumor to a signed deal in less than 24 hours. Officially, the partnership is for Kojima’s first post-Konami game to be a console exclusive to PlayStation 4.

Sony President and Global CEO Andrew House said this about the partnership and his excitement about the work they’ll do together:

“PlayStation’s history is one of game innovation and great new franchises. Hideo Kojima has been a huge part of that history, and we are therefore delighted that he has chosen to bring his brand new project to life in partnership with PlayStation. We look forward to working with him on an exciting new game and warmly welcome him to the PlayStation family.”

Sony makes no mention of publishing the Kojima Productions game, which considering how heavily they’re marketing this agreement seems a bit strange. No, the agreement for now seems limited to console exclusivity. Perhaps the rush to announce the partnership revolves around the funding Sony will be providing which is allowing Kojima to found his studio and get started working so quickly.

This agreement implies that Kojima’s game will also be coming to PC, launching at the same time as to PS4 version of the game launches. After all, no timed exclusivity deal is mentioned here either. This type of agreement isn’t odd for Sony, they’ve done similar announcements for early-in-development titles also coming to PC — for projects that are crowdfunded in particular. Could a Kojima Kickstarter be in the works?

This announcement marks the very beginning of a new adventure for Hideo Kojima. His comments released along with the announcement make it clear that his newly formed studio can’t even be said to be in its infancy — it’s just now being born:

“I will be taking on a new challenge by establishing my own independent studio, and I am thrilled to be able to embark on this journey with PlayStation, who I have continued to work with all these past years. I cannot wait to deliver, with PlayStation, a game that will become a compelling franchise.”

Even more exciting is that Kojima heavily implies that his new game will be a completely original IP. “A game that will become a compelling franchise,” shows that Kojima already has extraordinary plans for the game and the franchise’s future. As if anyone could expect anything less from the creator from one of the biggest modern day franchises with a connected storyline.

There’s little else but speculation left to say. The reborn Kojima Productions does have an official website up now. It features the logo shown in this article’s header image, a link to an announcement regarding the formation of the studio and the Sony partnership, and finally there’s a letter from Hideo Kojima himself. The letter makes heavy reference to the book Homo Ludens by Huizinga, which apparently regards the nature of humans and the concept of “play” within our culture.

Here’s a section of the Homo Ludens letter on the Kojima Productions website, which seems a fitting way to close out this article on Kojima’s transition into a new chapter of his life:

“Even if the earth were stripped

of life and reduced to a barren wasteland, our imagination and desire

to create would survive – beyond survival,

it would provide hope that flowers may one day bloom again.

Through the invention of play, our new evolution awaits.”

Expect more information regarding Hideo Kojima, Kojima Productions, their game and their partnership with PlayStation in the months — or even years — to come.